Sterile tray



A. M.- snowN STERILE TRAY Jan. 27, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 menZ o 7"'.'

Qleza naerfffi mar/m Filed Jan. 30, 1968 A. M. BROWN Jan. 27, 1970 STERILE TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 30, 1968 United States Patent 3,491,894 STERILE TRAY Alexander M. Brown, Daytona Beach, Fla., assignor to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 701,622 Int. Cl. A47h 73/00 US. Cl. 211-74 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sterile platform for use in nursing applications, such as in hospitals providing a tray for carrying a plurality of hypodermic syringes, medicine cups, and other nursing and medication aids in a sterile manner. The tray is formed of a molded plastic and is coordinated with the nursing and medication aids to frictionally retain the same on the tray against accidental dislodgment. The tray is adapted for nesting relationship with other similar trays for compact facilitated storage. The tray includes means for removably retaining suitable identification cards in association with the respective aids and medications.

This invention relates to trays and in particular to a sterile tray system for use in hospitals and the like for sterile administration of medication.

In hospitals and the like, it is necessary to bring medication to a number of patients under the supervision of a nursing unit. Such medication administration requires the use of hypodermic syringes, medicine cups, swabs and other medication and nursing aids. In such administration, it is necessary to maintain the sterility of the medication and nursing aids not only in preparing the medications, and in dispensing the medications, but also in disposing of the used devices and apparatus.

A number of different devices have been heretofore developed in the medication art for maintaining sterility of disposable hypodermic syringes and the like including packages defined by outside sleeves for receiving the barrel and plunger of the syringe and needle sheaths adapted to be removably secured to the nose of the syringe to sterilely enclose the needle prior to use. Upon removal of the syringe from the sleeve, one end of the sleeve defines a tubular structure which may serve as a base support permitting the syringe to be sterilely carried on the upper end of the sleeve. Further, the sheath is adapted to be received in the upper end of the sleeve permitting the needle installed on the end of the syringe barrel to be received in the sheath and thereby maintain the needle sterile while supporting the syringe in an upright position. Still further, additional needles may be provided in sealingly closed sheaths, or cartridges,

for use with the syringes when desired. Still further, medi cation administration may include dispensing of liquid and solid medication, such as pills or tablets, by means of plastic cups. The present invention comprehends an improved tray structure which is adapted to cooperate with such known syringe sleeves, needle sheaths, medication cups, and the like for providing an improved sterile platform system whereby delivery of such medication to the patient in a sterile manner and disposal of the used medication means is substantially facilitated.

Thus, a principal feature of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved sterile platform arrangement.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a sterile platform arrangement including a new and improved sterile tray structure.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a sterile tray structure comprising a panel having 3,491,894 Patented Jan. 27, 1970 "ice a portion defining a well adapted to frictionally retain any one of a plurality of different size syringe sleeves and needle sheaths.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of such a sterile tray structure further adapted to carry a disposable plastic cup.

A yet further feature of the invention is the provision of such a sterile tray structure having new and improved means for removably carrying identification card means in association with the medication means carried by the tray.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of such a sterile tray structure defining a well including an upper cylindrical wall defining a cup holding space, a first lower, cylindrical wall coaxial of the upper wall inwardly defining a syringe sleeve holding space, and a second lower, tubular wall coaxially within the first lower wall inwardly defining a cartridge holding space.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a sterile tray embodying the invention with a plurality of identification cards installed thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the tray;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical enlarged section taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating the use of the sterile tray with a plurality of hypodermic syringe sleeves, needle sheaths and medication cup structures.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a sterile tray generally designated is shown to comprise a tray formed of moldable plastic, such as polypropylene. As best seen in FIGURE 1, the tray includes a substantially fiat Wall 11 defining an upper surface 12 and a peripheral downturned rim 13. The wall 12 defines a plurality of depending wells, generally designated 14. In the illustrated embodiment, four rows of seven wells each are provided. As further. shown in FIGURE 1, the wall 12 further defines a plurality of card holding slots 15. In the illustrated embodiment, four such slots are provided corresponding to each of the rows of wells 14. The wall 12 further defines an elongated shallow well 16 and a pair of short shallow wells 17 spaced from the opposite ends of the elongated well 16 at the longitudinal center line 18 of the tray. Thus, tray 10 defines a symmetrical structure about the center line 18 providing for facilitated and economical molding of the tray.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the rim 13 extends downwardly from the upper wall surface 12 only a short distance, whereas the wells 14 project downwardly substantially below the rim to define a plurality of bottom surfaces 19 for supporting the tray on a flat surface such as a table top. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the slots are defined by depending elongated walls 20 extending downwardly a short distance below the rim 13.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, each well 14 is similar and includes an upper cylindrical wall 21 extending downwardly from upper wall 11. A first lower, cylindrical wall 22 extends downwardly from wall 21 being connected thereto by an annular shoulder 23. A bottom surface 19 is defined by a transverse bottom wall 24 closing the lower end of the well. A second lower, cylindrical wall 25 extends upwardly from the bottom wall 24 spaced coaxially within first lower wall 22 to define therebetween a sleeve receiving space 26. A third lower wall 27 extends upwardly from the bottom wall 24 radially inwardly of and integrally with the lower end of second lower wall 25 and defining at its upper end a frusto-conical shoulder 28 widening into the wall 25 to define an upper cartridge receiving space 29 and a smaller diameter lower cartridge receiving space 30. The upper end 31 of the second lower wall 25 is coplanar with the annular shoulder 23 and effectively defines with the upper wall 21 a cup receiving space 32. The inner surface 33 of the lower wall 22 may be provided with a vertical inwardly projecting rib 34, and the outer surface 35 of the second lower wall 25 may be provided with a vertical outwardly projecting rib 36, as shown in FIGURE 1.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the card slots extend substantially the length of the platform wall 11 and are relatively narrow. The walls thereof are provided with alternating rows of inwardly projecting ribs 37. As shown in FIGURE 3, the bottom of each slot is closed by a transverse wall 38, illustratively at the level of the shoulder 23 of wells 14.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, the use of the sterile tray 10 may be clearly seen. Thus, a conventional one ounce plastic medicine cup 39 may have the lower portion thereof pressed in the cup receiving space 32 of any one of the wells 14 to have the bottom wall 40 of the cup rest on annular shoulder 23 and the top end surface 31 of the wall 25. The upper wall 21 has a diameter preselected to frictionally engage the lower end of the cup 39 and thereby snugly retain the cup in place in the cup receiving space. In the illustrated embodiment, the depth of wall 21 may be approximately .56 inch below the upper surface 12, thereby providing a rigid support of the cup 39*. Illustratively, the inner diameter of the wall 21 may be approximately 1.425 inches for use with a conventional disposable medical cup 39. The overall height of the tray fromthe bottom wall surface 19 to the top wall surface 12 may be approximately 1.343 inches with the thickness of the wall 11 being approximately .062 inch.

The lower end 41 of a conventional hypodermic syringe sleeve 42 may be retained in the sleeve space 26 in engagement with the inner wall surface 33 of the first lower wall 22 with rib 34 yieldably compressing the lower end 41 to provide an improved frictional retention of the sleeve 42 on the tray 10. Illustratively, the diameter of surface 33' may be approximately 1.18 inches, whereby sleeves for use with 6 cc. and 12 cc. syringes may be so retained.

The lower end 43 of a smaller size sleeve 44 adapted for enclosing smaller syringes, such as 1 cc. and 2 /2 cc. syringes, may be retained on the second lower wall by telescopic placement of the lower end 43 over the lower wall 25. Illustratively, the outer diameter of lower wall 25 may be approximately .718 inch whereby the rib 36 may urge the sleeve end 43 into snug retained association with the wall 25. As shown in FIGURE 5, the bottom wall 19 further defines means for limiting the downward movement of the sleeve ends 41 and 43 to provide a positive seating of the sleeves for improved carrying thereof.

As discussed above, the wells 14 are further adapted to carry needle cartridges, such as needle cartridge 45 and needle cartridge 46 illustrated in FIGURE 5. Needle cartridge 45 is provided with a lower portion 47 adapted to be frictionally retained in the upper cartridge space 29 defined by the upper end of wall 25 above shoulder 28. Thus, the inside diameter of the wall 25 -may be approximately .394 inch. As shown, the bottom 48 of the cartridge 45 may seat on the shoulder 28 to provide a positive support of the cartridge in the space 29. Cartridge 46 may be provided with a smaller diameter lower end 49 to be received in the lower space defined by wall 27 to bottom on wall 19. Thus, illustratively, the inner diameter of wall 27 may be approximately .317 inch.

Thus, it may be seen that each well 14 defines a universal structure adapted to receive any of the sleeves 42 and 44, cartridges 45 and 46 and cup 39. The tray 10, therefore, defines with these elements a sterile platform system providing for improved sterile dispensing of medication and the like The shallow wells 16 and 17 are adapted for receiving swabs, such as alcohol wipes and other similar means.

As indicated briefly above, the card slots 15 are adapted to hold the lower edges of suitable identification cards, such as cards 50 illustrated in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4. The ribs 37 preferably project to slightly beyond the center of the slots from their respective walls 20 so that the cards 50 are securely retained therebetween as a result of the slight deformation thereof resulting from the staggered arrangement of the ribs 37 as shown in FIGURE 1. As the slots 15 are continuous, different size cards may be readily used as desired. As shown in FIGURE 3, the upper ends 51 of the ribs 37 are rounded to facilitate the insertion of the cards to between the ribs. In the illustrated embodiment, the slots are approximately .125 inch wide with the ribs projecting approximately .078 inch and with the slots being approximately .5 inch deep. Thus, the slots define means for readily receiving the information cards while providing positive retention of the cards in association with the corresponding medication carried in the adjacent well. As a result of the relatively wide slot, the slots are readily cleaned to maintain cleanliness in reuse of the trays. As the lower portion of the wells 14 defined by walls 22 are smaller in external diameter than the internal diameter of the upper wall portions 21, the trays may be readily nested together for facilitated compact storage and shipment. As the trays are cylindrical about the center line 18, such nested association may be effected with the trays turned end for end relative to each other.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sterile tray panel, a portion of said panel defining a holding means well comprising: an upper cylindrical wall defining a cup holding space; a first lower, cylindrical wall coaxial of said upper wall; and a second lower, tubular wall coaxially within said first lower wall inwardly defining a cartridge holding space, said first and second lower walls defining between them a syringe sleeve holding space.

2. The sterile tray panel of claim 1 wherein said second lower wall further defines an exteriorly cylindrical surface for telescopic retention of a syringe sleeve in said sleeve holding space.

3. The sterile tray panel of claim 1 wherein said second lower wall includes a top portion at the level of the bottom of said cup holding space and defining a cup support surface coaxially inwardly of the bottom of said upper wall.

4. The sterile tray panel of claim 1 wherein said upper wall includes an inturned annular shoulder at the lower end thereof defining a cup support surface.

5. The sterile tray panel of claim 1 wherein said well includes a bottom wall portion at the lower end of the first lower wall thereof defining a sleeve support surface.

6. The sterile tray panel of claim 1 wherein said panel includes a plurality of said wells, each of said wells defining a lowermost flat surface cooperatively defining means for carrying said panel on a flat horizontal surface.

7. The sterile tray panel of claim 1 wherein said panel includes a downturn rim and a plurality of said wells, each of said wells defining a lowermost flat surface cooperatively defining means for carrying said panel on a flat horizontal surface, with said rim being spaced substantially above said flat surface for facilitated finger tip grasping of said rim.

8. The sterile tray panel of claim 1 wherein said panel includes a plurality of said wells, each of said wells defining a lowermost flat surface cooperatively defining means for carrying said panel on a flat horizontal surface 5 and being adapted to rest within the plurality of wells of a second, similar panel for facilitated storage of said panels.

9. The sterile tray panel of claim 1 further including a third lower, cylindrical wall coaxial of said second lower wall and having an internal diameter smaller than the internal diameter of said second lower wall, said third lower wall defining a relatively small diameter cartridge holding space.

10. The sterile tray panel of claim 9 wherein said well includes an inturned annular shoulder at the upper end of the third lower wall defining a cartridge support surface.

11. The sterile tray panel of claim 9 wherein said third lower wall includes an inturned shoulder at the lower end thereof defining a cartridge support surface.

12. The sterile tray panel of claim 1 further including a second portion of said panel defining a narrow card receiving slot.

13. The sterile tray panel of claim 12 wherein said card 20 receiving slot extends substantially fully across said panel. 14. The sterile tray panel of claim 12 wherein said card receiving slot is provided with a plurality of inwardly directed projections for deformingly retaining a card edge inserted into said slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,962,556 6/1934 Eberhardt 211,-74 X 2,575,661 11/1951 Hickey 211-71 2,992,501 7/1961 Douglas 21173 X 3,128,882 4/1964 Kardulas 211-13 3,221,891 12/1965 Snow 211-13 3,291,296 12/1966 Lemkelde 21113 X FOREIGN PATENTS 986,243 3/ 1965 Great Britain.

DAV ID H. BROWN, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

